35 dead in worsening Bangkok violence
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
BANGKOK, May 17 (AFP): Violent clashes in Bangkok between Thai troops and Red Shirt protesters have left 35 people dead, officials said Monday, after the government ruled out foreign intervention to end the two-month stand-off.
The worsening violence has turned parts of the city into no-go zones as troops use live ammunition against anti-government demonstrators, who have blocked streets with burning tyres, and fought back with homemade weapons.
A member of the official emergency medical centre in Bangkok said two more people had died overnight, including the first member of the military to be killed in the three days of running gunbattles on the city's streets.
He said 244 people had been wounded, including six foreigners.
Guests at a luxury hotel in the city of 12 million people were forced to shelter in the basement after the building came under gunfire and was rattled by an explosion in the early hours of Monday morning.
Fire gutted three commercial buildings in another area.
With no apparent end in sight to the two-month crisis, a top protest leader urged the country's revered king to intervene.
Revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej chastised both the military and protest leaders during a 1992 uprising, effectively bringing the violence to an end, but has avoided commenting publicly on the current crisis.
The Reds also said they were ready to enter peace talks with the government as long as the United Nations mediated.
"We want the UN because we don't trust we will receive justice from organisations in Thailand," protest leader Nattawut Saikuar said.
But the government, which has repeatedly warned foreign governments not to meddle in its affairs, was swift to reject the call.
"No governments allow any organisations to intervene in their internal affairs," spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.
The worsening violence has turned parts of the city into no-go zones as troops use live ammunition against anti-government demonstrators, who have blocked streets with burning tyres, and fought back with homemade weapons.
A member of the official emergency medical centre in Bangkok said two more people had died overnight, including the first member of the military to be killed in the three days of running gunbattles on the city's streets.
He said 244 people had been wounded, including six foreigners.
Guests at a luxury hotel in the city of 12 million people were forced to shelter in the basement after the building came under gunfire and was rattled by an explosion in the early hours of Monday morning.
Fire gutted three commercial buildings in another area.
With no apparent end in sight to the two-month crisis, a top protest leader urged the country's revered king to intervene.
Revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej chastised both the military and protest leaders during a 1992 uprising, effectively bringing the violence to an end, but has avoided commenting publicly on the current crisis.
The Reds also said they were ready to enter peace talks with the government as long as the United Nations mediated.
"We want the UN because we don't trust we will receive justice from organisations in Thailand," protest leader Nattawut Saikuar said.
But the government, which has repeatedly warned foreign governments not to meddle in its affairs, was swift to reject the call.
"No governments allow any organisations to intervene in their internal affairs," spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.